Since 1954
Once again, Republicans draw the lines of power to protect their incumbents and amplify their white, conservative, rural base—and deny millions of Texans of color their due political representation.
After working to defeat 13 anti-trans bills in the regular session, advocates are now facing 16 more this summer with a novel response.
The procedural move carries little apparent weight since the Democrats who fled the state to break quorum are beyond the jurisdiction of Texas law enforcement.
The governor gives second life to the GOP’s elections crackdown, along with a smattering of other right-wing priorities that failed to pass in the spring.
The extent to which Republicans’ proposed voting restrictions might affect voters of color has received much attention, but Texans with disabilities also face the prospect of new barriers to the ballot box.
Milton Jordan, retired, is a native Texan now living in Georgetown. His first published poem ran in the Texas Observer 50 years ago.
In a special session for redistricting, expect the GOP to use aggressive gerrymandering to extend the shelf life of its diminishing white base.
Texas Republicans have been up to some spring cleaning.
Texas Republicans proved too busy burnishing their far-right bona fides to attend to minor matters like lethal winter storms and mass incarceration.
Texan adoptees argue that they should have a right to see their own birth certificates.